SHARING | Becoming One Percent Better Each Day: Insights from Atomic Habits by Iven
Welcome, everyone. Today, we'll delve into the concept of becoming one percent better each day, inspired by James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. This book emphasizes how small, consistent habits can lead to significant improvements over time. I hope my sharing today encourages you to read the book and apply its principles in your life.
The Power of Tiny Changes
The main idea of Atomic Habits is that small, consistent changes can lead to substantial long-term achievements. Imagine you have a lofty goal, like winning an Olympic gold medal in badminton. This goal might seem daunting and far away. However, by focusing on making small, consistent improvements each day, you can eventually reach your goal.
Example: The Flight Path Analogy
Think about a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. If the plane’s direction is adjusted by just one percent, it might end up in Sydney instead. This small change in direction can lead to a completely different destination over time. Similarly, small daily habits can significantly impact your life’s trajectory.
The Progress Curve
Progress often doesn’t follow a straight line. Initially, you might see very little improvement, which can be discouraging. But if you persist, your efforts will compound, and you’ll eventually see substantial progress. This is like investing in a system rather than focusing solely on the end goal. The graph here illustrates how progress often accelerates after a period of slow growth.
Systems vs. Goals
Goals are the desired outcomes, like winning a championship. Systems are the processes that lead to those outcomes, like daily practice routines. Focusing on systems rather than goals is more effective for long-term success because systems encourage continuous improvement and adaptability, while goals can lead to frustration if not achieved.
Practical Steps to Building Good Habits
Clear provides a practical framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones. This involves understanding and manipulating the habit loop: cue, craving, response, and reward.
Make It Obvious
Create clear cues for your habits. For example, if you want to take vitamins daily, place them where you can see them easily.
If you want to practice guitar, keep it visible and accessible rather than stored away.
Make It Attractive
Link your habits to positive emotions. If you enjoy playing certain songs, use them to make practice sessions more enjoyable.
Make It Easy
Simplify the actions required. Reduce friction by making the habit as easy as possible to start. For instance, choose a nearby gym rather than one far away.
Make It Satisfying
Ensure the habits are rewarding. You could mark off each day you complete your habit on a calendar, giving you a visual sense of accomplishment.
Applying the Framework to Break Bad Habits
You can also use this framework in reverse to break bad habits:
Make It Invisible: Hide cues for bad habits. For example, keep your phone out of reach if you want to reduce screen time.
Make It Unattractive: Link bad habits to negative outcomes.
Make It Difficult: Increase the friction for bad habits. Use apps that limit phone usage or block distracting websites.
Make It Unsatisfying: Implement a punishment for indulging in bad habits.
Conclusion
Building good habits is about creating a system that makes consistent improvement part of your identity. By focusing on small, manageable changes, you can achieve remarkable results over time. Remember, becoming one percent better each day leads to significant progress through compounded improvements.
I hope this sharing inspires you to read Atomic Habits and apply its principles to your daily life.
All the best,
Iven
This entry was initially an internal sharing session condensed and summarised by ChatGPT.